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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27696076">Three's Company, Four's a Double Date</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gothyringwald/pseuds/gothyringwald'>gothyringwald</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stranger Things (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Disaster Steve Harrington, Developing Relationship, Everybody Lives, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Misunderstandings, Oblivious Steve Harrington, Post-Season/Series 03, Pre-Slash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 03:13:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,544</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27696076</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gothyringwald/pseuds/gothyringwald</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Steve and Robin have to share a table with Billy and Heather at a crowded diner, they end up with more than the burgers and fries they came for.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, background Robin Buckley/Heather Holloway</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>184</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Mistletoe Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Three's Company, Four's a Double Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparkysparky/gifts">sparkysparky</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hope you like this, sparkysparky!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western">Everyone in Hawkins seems to be crammed into Lou’s Diner tonight. The air is sticky with body heat, sucking Steve’s shirt to his skin. He edges past the line at the counter, craning his neck to find a free table.</p><p class="western">‘Why don’t we go to Perry’s Pizza, instead?’ Robin’s voice rises above the chatter and the music playing from the jukebox in the corner. It looks like it was installed sometime in the 1950s and the music hasn’t been updated since.</p><p class="western">‘I really wanted a burger.’</p><p class="western">Robin rolls her eyes. ‘Well, it looks like we’re gonna wait around here all night. You can have a burger some other time.’</p><p class="western">‘Yeah.’ Steve’s shoulders sag. He takes one last hopeless look around the diner, heart leaping when he spots Billy Hargrove in a booth at the back. He’s wearing a leather jacket and a dangerous grin as he catches Steve’s eye.</p><p class="western">Steve should look away—Robin is already halfway out the door—but there’s something about Billy that always keeps him frozen in place. And then Billy beckons Steve with his hand, and warmth rushes him. He takes a step forward, notices Heather sitting beside Billy with her perfect hair, and her pastel sweater matching her lipstick, and pauses.</p><p class="western">‘Hey, dingus,’ Robin calls out, ‘are we going for pizza, or not?’</p><p class="western">‘I—’ Steve looks between Billy and Robin and jerks his head. ‘I think we found a table.’</p><p class="western">Robin follows Steve’s nod, face screwing up, but she sighs and follows Steve as he zigzags through the tables to Billy’s booth. He narrowly avoids colliding with a waitress carrying a tray of orders, his feet growing clumsier the closer he gets to Billy’s table. <em>Jesus. Get a grip, Harrington.</em></p><p class="western">‘Hey,’ Steve says, looking across at Billy. He’s in the corner, leaning against the wall, arm slung over the back of the booth.</p><p class="western">There’s something in Billy’s half-lidded eyes, the same thing that always makes Steve’s breath hitch when he comes into Family Video or they run into each other somewhere. But he still doesn’t know what it is. ‘Harrington,’ Billy says. He licks his lips. ‘Looking for a table?’</p><p class="western">‘Uh, yeah. Is— Are you waiting for anyone?’</p><p class="western">‘Nope.’</p><p class="western">‘Do you mind if we…’</p><p class="western">Billy shakes his head. ‘Knock yourself out.’ He waves at the free seats across from him.</p><p class="western">‘I don’t mind either,’ Heather says, leaning forward, elbows perched on the table. ‘In case you were wondering.’</p><p class="western">‘Oh, hi, Heather.’ Vinyl squeaks beneath denim as Steve slides into the booth, settling across from Billy. ‘You look nice.’ And she does. She’s pretty, the kind of girl Steve used to go for before Nancy, the kind he still would if she wasn’t with Billy and Billy wasn’t the only person Steve can think about.</p><p class="western">‘I know,’ Heather says around a grin, then looks over to Robin, who is sitting beside Steve, hands tucked under her thighs. ‘I like your shirt. It’s totally cute.’</p><p class="western">‘Uh, thanks.’ Robin frowns down at her light blue and tan check button-down. She shakes her head; Heather is still looking at Robin, and she adds, ‘Your sweater’s…a nice colour?’</p><p class="western">‘Thank you.’ Heather smiles, then holds out her hands. She waggles her fingers, the diner’s yellow lights reflecting in her shiny peach nails. ‘It matches my nail polish.’</p><p class="western">Robin lifts her brows. ‘OK…’ She glances at Steve, but he just shrugs at her. He can’t tell if Heather is being sincere or bitchy.</p><p class="western">The song changes over, something out of Steve’s parents’ record collection. It’s not bad. Billy’s foot presses against Steve’s, the toe of his boot edging under his jeans. Steve clears his throat, shifting in his seat. ‘Have you guys ordered?’</p><p class="western">‘No,’ Billy says, ‘got here a few minutes before you did.’</p><p class="western">‘Cool.’ And there Steve is, caught in another staring match with Billy. How does this keep happening? It’s not broken until the waitress slouches over to their table, and Robin elbows him in the ribs. ‘Ow, what?’</p><p class="western">‘It’s your turn to order.’ Robin nods at the waitress.</p><p class="western">‘Oh. Right.’ Steve flushes, but he places his order—a burger with the lot, just like he was looking forward to—and then an awkward silence settles over the four of them.</p><p class="western">It’s not like Billy, who’s always got something to say, and it’s not like Heather, either. Steve doesn’t know her well but she’s always talking about something when he sees her. Even Steve doesn’t find himself at a loss all that often. But he can’t think of a single thing to say, right now, tongue tied and brain filled only with how good Billy looks.</p><p class="western">When the waitress brings their drinks out ahead of their meals, he lets out a sigh, and beside him Robin sags, too, grabbing her glass.</p><p class="western">‘Well, isn’t this quaint,’ Billy says, ‘four of us on a double date.’</p><p class="western">‘We’re not dating,’ Steve and Robin say in unison.</p><p class="western">‘That so?’ Billy’s eyes glimmer, his gaze sliding from Robin to Steve. His foot moves against Steve’s leg again, seems more purposeful this time; he plucks the cherry from his pop, sucking it slowly from the stem.</p><p class="western">‘Yeah,’ Steve says, swallowing, ‘we’re just friends.’ He takes a chance and presses back against Billy’s foot.</p><p class="western">Billy hums. He runs his tongue along his bottom lip and Steve nearly fumbles his glass.</p><p class="western">‘I’m going to the bathroom,’ Robin says, eyes narrowed, ‘let me know if I miss any of this riveting conversation,’ and pushes out of the booth.</p><p class="western">Heather follows, saying, ‘I’ll come, too, gotta fix my lipstick,’ hooking her arm through Robin’s.</p><p class="western">Robin sends Steve a desperate look over her shoulder, but Steve can barely tear his gaze away from Billy and his pink pink lips and the dark smudge of his eyelashes. He should have gone to Perry’s Pizza. This is ridiculous.</p><p class="western">Ice clinks against Steve’s glass as he picks it up again and gulps down two mouthfuls of pop. It doesn’t help.</p><p class="western">‘You know, I was thinking,’ Billy says, leaning across the table, ‘maybe we should do this again sometime.’</p><p class="western">‘What?’</p><p class="western">‘The date thing.’ Billy waits a beat, like maybe he’s expecting Steve to say something, and then he adds, ‘You know, the four of us…’ a little less certain than usual.</p><p class="western">‘Robin and I already said we’re not dating.’</p><p class="western">Billy stares at Steve a moment, then says, ‘And who said Heather and I are?’</p><p class="western">Steve’s stomach swoops. ‘But you— You’re always together.’</p><p class="western">‘So are you and Buckley.’</p><p class="western">‘Oh.’ Steve’s heart thuds. He bites his lip against a smile, hoping he knows where this is going. ‘It’s just…you really seem like a couple.’</p><p class="western">Billy shrugs. ‘Sometimes it’s good to let people think what they want to, so they don’t figure out what’s really going on.’ He licks his lips. ‘If you catch my drift.’ The foot he’s had resting against Steve’s edges further up Steve’s calf, toe fitting to the back of Steve’s knee.</p><p class="western">‘<em>Oh</em>.’ Fuck. Is Billy— Billy is really— ‘I— That’s good to know.’</p><p class="western">The smile Billy shoots Steve sobers a little as the moments pass, and he adds, ‘Plus, we’ve been through a lot, we stick together.’ It’s more candid than Billy has ever been. He’s usually all shit-eating grins and snide remarks. But maybe that was all show and Steve is finally seeing through it.</p><p class="western">So, Steve says, ‘Yeah, so have me and Robin,’ hoping Billy knows that he gets it, at least a little.</p><p class="western">Billy’s eyes soften. ‘So, what do you say?’</p><p class="western">‘To what?’</p><p class="western">‘Doing this again.’</p><p class="western">‘Yeah,’ Steve says, ‘I’d like that.’ He sucks his bottom lip between his teeth, stomach fluttering in a way it hasn’t done in ages. ‘But just to be clear, you’re asking <em>me</em>, right? To, you know…’</p><p class="western">Billy snorts. ‘I’m asking you.’</p><p class="western">‘Cool.’</p><p class="western">They sit in a mostly comfortable silence for a few moments, the diner bustling beyond their booth, until Heather and Robin get back.</p><p class="western">‘I hope you were talking about me,’ Heather says.</p><p class="western">Billy winks. ‘Of course.’</p><p class="western">Now that Steve is looking properly, he can see how it’s an act. How Heather plays into it, too. He’s not sure if it’s for Billy’s benefit alone, something she does out of friendship, or for her sake, as well.</p><p class="western">‘Actually,’ Billy says, leaning back, ‘we were just planning our next date. Weren’t we, pretty boy?’</p><p class="western">Steve nods, swallowing thickly.</p><p class="western">‘<em>What</em>?’ Robin splutters.</p><p class="western">‘Not— Not the four of us just…’ Steve huffs. ‘I mean, not you and me…but…’ He waves his hand in the space between them, then juts his chin at Billy.</p><p class="western">Robin’s eyes widen. ‘Oh.’</p><p class="western">‘It could be the four of us,’ Heather says, swishing her straw in her drink. ‘You know, an actual double date.’ She smiles up coyly at Robin. ‘I’d like that if you would.’</p><p class="western">‘Um…’ Robin twirls a finger in her hair. She looks at Steve, who mouths <em>Go for it</em>, then back to Heather. ‘Yes?’ She clears her throat. ‘Yeah, sure. That would be cool. I think.’</p><p class="western">Heather’s smile widens. ‘Good.’</p><p class="western">Robin flushes, gulping the rest of her drink.</p><p class="western">‘Maybe we can go somewhere quieter, though,’ Steve says, pressing back against Billy’s knee when it nudges his beneath the table. ‘You know…not so many people.’</p><p class="western">Billy smiles, wide and gorgeous, and says, ‘I like your thinking, pretty boy.’</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! :D</p></blockquote></div></div>
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